Midnight Decisions
by RedZipBoots
Summary: A short scene set two weeks before the Pilot episode.


"Got it!"

Kid Curry's Colt .45 was in his hand before his eyes were even open. Groaning, he flopped back onto his pillow as he uncocked the weapon and watched Hannibal Heyes blow out a match.

"Quit doin' that will ya! You woke me up. _Again_ _!_ " He returned the Colt to the worn, cut down, leather holster hanging next to his head but not before he had waved the blue metal barrel menacingly in the other man's direction. "I couldha shot ya!"

Heyes adjusted the flame of the kerosene lamp. "No you couldn't."

Kid probably would have laughed at this remark if it hadn't been the middle of the night. Instead he fixed his partner with a steady look. "You sure about that?"

"Yep. As a matter of fact, I am."

"Heyes, I know you think you know everything, but ..."

"I know you couldn't have shot me 'cause I took all the bullets outta your gun."

"You did WHAT?!"

Almost as fast as before the revolver was back in Kid's hand and, leaning up on one elbow, he methodically checked all six chambers. Meanwhile, Heyes made a poor job of hiding the impish smile that was trying to steal across his face.

Satisfied that no cartridges were missing Kid narrowed his eyes at his gloating friend. "Gee, thanks, partner," he ground out through gritted teeth. "Now I really _am_ awake."

"Good, 'cause I want to tell you the plan."

"Don't you ever get bored with this... in the middle of the night, an' all?"

Heyes shook his head. "Nope."

"Why don't ya sleep on it and tell me in the morning?" Kid Curry punched his poorly stuffed pillow. "You never know, you might have come up with an even better plan by then."

"I doubt it. Anyway, you haven't heard this one yet. I finally came up with the answer."

Kid heaved a heartfelt sigh. "I know I'm probably gonna regret askin' this but, the answer to what?"

"The meaning of life." Heyes' weak smile quickly turned into a scowl. "The next job, of course. What did you think I meant?"

Helpless, Kid shook his head. "I dunno, Heyes. I can't think straight like you can at this hour of the night."

"It's morning now." The leader of the Devil's Hole Gang consulted the dial of his pocket watch in the flickering light. "Two fifteen, to be exact."

"That don't make me feel any better. Just tell me the plan, will ya," grumbled Kid.

"See, I knew all along that you'd want to hear it."

Heyes would never admit it but he felt a chill run down his spine, the result of a cold stare from a pair of ice blue eyes. He suppressed a shiver and surreptitiously pulled his blanket a little closer around him.

"It goes like this..."

Twenty minutes later.

"...and we're all back here, dividing up the money, before they realize what hit 'em. So, what do you think?"

Kid Curry stifled yet another yawn, forced his heavy eyelids open a little wider and, slowly and deliberately said, "Let me get this straight now. You're sayin' that you're gonna put Kyle in charge of the dynamite?"

Heyes frowned. "Jeez, Kid, I just told you every little detail and that's all you've gotta say?"

"Seems real important to me, Heyes." Kid waited a few seconds then prompted impatiently. "So, you gonna answer the question, or not?"

"Okay, okay, don't go getting proddy. Yes. I'm putting Kyle in charge of the dynamite." A barely discernible look of concern flickered across the dark brown eyes. "Why?"

"I just wanted to make sure I hadn't dreamed it, that's all... before I have you locked up."

" _Locked up!_ You planning on turning me in?"

"No. I'm plannin' on having you locked up in one of them asylums with all the other crazy people."

"But, I'm your partner." Heyes put on his best hurt expression.

"Yeah. My partner who's clearly _lost his goddamn mind!_ "

"It'll be fine," placated Heyes with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Kyle knows how to handle explosives. He's done it in the past, long before he joined this bunch. Besides, if I have to set up the dynamite I can't keep an eye on Wheat, and he needs watching. Did you know that on the last job we pulled I caught him waving that old shotgun of his in the passengers' faces? The Devil's Hole Gang don't do that!"

"Yeah, I saw him too, but he won't do it again. I had me a quiet word, if y' know what I mean. But, hold on a minute... I thought watchin' the men was my job?"

Hannibal Heyes slowly shook his head. "Not any more, Kid. Now that Wheat is all fired up and hankerin' after being leader, your job is watching my back."

"Okay, that makes sense. But, that bend at Bitter Creek is less than five miles outside of Columbine. Seems to me we could be short on time if we're gonna stop the train, get the passengers clear, blow the safe _and_ make sure we're far enough away before a posse starts out after us."

Heyes held up his pocket watch. "We'll have plenty of time."

"What if some folks start makin' a fuss and holdin' everything up? It's happened before — twice, in fact — last time it almost cost us the haul."

"Yeah, yeah, I'll admit that can be tricky but I've figured in some extra time for that. Look on the bright side, Kid, the easiest part is gonna be cracking that safe, 'specially now we're using dynamite. It's not like I've gotta sit there and fool with the tumblers."

"Well, that figurin' of yours had better include me gettin' a good night's sleep, 'cause we'll need to be leavin' here before sun up," Kid quickly pointed out.

"You'll get your sleep. I know a short cut."

"You do?"

"Yeah, we'll cross the river where it narrows, south of Clear Summit. That way we can shorten our ride by a good half hour. At this time of the year the water won't be running high."

Kid Curry heaved a protracted sigh. As usual, his partner had an answer for everything. He was so downright mulish that once he had made up his mind there was little Kid could do, or say, to change it. That was why he got so mad when Heyes wanted to discuss a plan in the middle of the night. Everything was already decided.

Heyes rolled his eyes at his pessimistic partner. "It'll all go like clockwork, Kid, just like it always does. You're starting to worry too much."

"With good reason! Those posses are gettin' bigger and lately they seem to be gettin' closer to catchin' us, or ain't you noticed?"

"I noticed. But, there's gonna be fifty thousand dollars in that safe, just sitting there in the mail car waiting for us." Heyes grinned. "It would be downright sinful not to rob that train."

"I guess it would." At the thought of all that money Kid couldn't help but return his partner's infectious smile. He was also glad to see an end to the discussion. The old iron bedstead creaked loudly as he settled down and pulled the blanket up to his chin.

"Okay, Heyes, we'll play it your way, but don't go complainin' if something goes wrong."

Hannibal Heyes blew out the lamp and chuckled to himself. "Wrong? What could possibly go wrong?"


End file.
